With more and more architects designing buildings that use natural ventilation rather than expensive, energy-intensive air-conditioning to control the internal environment, the launch of Schueco’s AWS VV ventilation system is opportune.

Arriving in the UK in July, this product – a narrow, side-hung vent – is not simply a practical response to the need for non-mechanical cooling, it is also a system which presents architects with a whole new layer of design potential through what is sometimes known as ‘barcode architecture’.

The name derives from the way in which when inserted into a curtain wall or ribbon window, the vents can resemble the vertical lines of barcodes found on product labels the world over. The decorative possibilities of this effect will be warmly welcomed by UK architects searching for new ways in which to express their creative vision.

Available in powder coat or anodised finishes, the Schueco AWS VV can be specified with a rebated or flush external appearance. The vent is inward opening and can be opened and closed easily either by hand or – on request – by concealed TipTronic motor drives that can in turn be linked to a central building management system if required.

Optional limiters with a maximum opening of 100 mm ensure safety in use and multi-point locking gives burglar resistance up to RC2. Schueco AWS VV is available in a variety of widths: 170 mm, 250 mm and 300 mm, with heights from 750 mm to 3000 mm, enabling it to cater for a wide range of ventilation requirements.